Serena Williams 'motivated' to carry on despite Wimbledon 2022 exit

Serena Williams of the United States waves to the crowd after losing against Harmony Tan of France during their first-round match on day two of Wimbledon at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 28, 2022 in London, England. Getty Images

Harmony Tan of France, right, shakes hands with Serena Williams at the end of the match. Getty Images

Harmony Tan celebrates after beating Serena Williams. Getty Images

Harmony Tan of France celebrates. Getty Images

Alexis Ohanian, husband of Serena Williams, watches his wife in Wimbledon action against Harmony Tan. Getty Images

Serena Williams of the United States reacts after losing against Harmony Tan of France at Wimbledon. Getty Images

Serena Williams of United States celebrates breaking serve against Harmony Tan of France. Getty Images

LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 28: Serena Williams of United States celebrates a point against Harmony Tan of France during their Women's Singles First Round Match on day two of The Championships Wimbledon 2022 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 28, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill / Getty Images)

Serena Williams plays a forehand. Getty Images

Harmony Tan serves against Serena Williams. Getty Images

Serena Williams plays a forehand against Harmony Tan. Getty Images

Serena Williams holds her ankle in a change over against Harmony Tan. Getty Images

General view of Centre Court with the roof closed as Serena Williams serves against Harmony Tan. Getty Images

Serena Williams reacts after losing her first-round match against France's Harmony Tan. Reuters

France's Harmony Tan signs autographs as she leaves the court. AFP

France's Harmony Tan celebrates after beating Serena Williams of the US in a first round women's singles match on day two of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Tuesday, June 28, 2022. (AP Photo / Alberto Pezzali)

Serena Williams in action. Reuters

Serena Williams in action during her first round match against France's Harmony Tan. Reuters

Serena Williams celebrates winning a point against France's Harmony Tan. AFP

Serena Williams reacts as she plays against France's Harmony Tan. AFP

Serena Williams brushed off retirement talk following her Wimbledon exit, insisting she is "just playing for right now" and that she's "motivated" to play at the US Open later this year.

The American, 40, suffered just her third first-round loss at a Grand Slam on Tuesday, going down 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 to little-known Frenchwoman Harmony Tan.

Williams, who was returning to singles action for the first time in 12 months, said this was not the end of the road in her quest to win a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam.

"The US Open was the place where I won my first Slam, it's super-special. There's definitely a lot of motivation to get better and play at home," she said.

The 23-time major winner, who debuted at the All England Club in 1998, refused to speculate on whether or not she will be back at Wimbledon in 2023.

"I am just playing for right now. I see how I feel and go from there.

"Who knows where I will pop up."

Williams walked onto Centre Court for the evening match and quickly looked rusty. She was broken in her first service game.

Williams, far below her imperious best and apparently lacking fitness, bounced back, breaking in the fourth game to level at 2-2, buoyed by a supportive crowd.

The pair swapped further breaks but Tan, ranked 115th, broke again in the 11th game and held her nerve to close out the set 7-5.

Serena Williams of in her first round match against Harmony Tan at Wimbledon. EPA

Williams broke after a mammoth second game of the second set and went on to level the match 6-1.

The American was first to break in the decider but Tan levelled at 3-3.

Williams broke again in the ninth game, throwing her arms into the air in jubilation but faltered as she served for the match.

She faced a match point on her own serve in the 12th game but saved it with a forehand volley, taking the contest into a third-set tie-break.

Williams stepped up a gear, winning the first four points as the match, under the Wimbledon roof, ticked past three hours.

But still her French opponent was not down and out, winning the next five points to edge ahead.

Williams, looking out of breath, could not find inspiration, netting when facing a second match point.

France's Harmony Tan celebrates after beating Serena Williams of the US. AP Photo

She finished with 61 winners but 54 unforced errors in the 3-hour, 11-minute evening match.

"I'm so emotional now," said Tan. "She's a superstar. When I was young, I was watching her so many times on the TV.

"When I saw the draw, I was really scared. She's such a legend. I thought if I can win one game, two games, that would be really good for me."

Williams won the last of her seven Wimbledon singles titles six years ago but reached the final in 2018 and 2019.

The American, who was given a wildcard for this year's tournament, remains stuck on 23 Grand Slam singles titles - agonisingly one short of Margaret Court's all-time record.

Serena Williams' style evolution

Venus and Serena Williams, wearing a green T-shirt, with former president Ronald Reagan at a tennis camp in Florida in 1990. AFP

Serena Williams, in black shorts and a green check swimsuit, in Key Biscayne, Florida in March 1998. Getty Images

Serena Williams, wearing a grey coat, during the Chase Championships in New York City, New York on November 16, 1998. Allsport

Serena Williams, in a silver dress, and Venus Williams arrive to attend the Laureus World Sports Awards in Monte Carlo, Monaco on May 25, 2000. Reuters

Serena Williams, in a pink dress of her own design, attends the 2003 ESPY Awards at the Kodak Theatre July 16, 2003 in Hollywood, California. AFP

Venus Williams and Serena Williams, in a black dress, attend the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall on August 28, 2003 in New York City. AFP

Serena Williams, in a purple satin gown, attends the 2004 Met Gala in New York City on April 26, 2004. AFP

Serena Williams, in an orange mini dress, attends the 12th Annual ESPY Awards held at the Kodak Theatre on July 14, 2004 in Hollywood, California. AFP

Serena Williams, in a pink patterned dress, attends the 'Catwoman' premiere at the ArcLight Theatre on July 19, 2004 in Hollywood, California. AFP

Serena Williams, in a white dress with floral detail, attends the Coty 100th Anniversary Party at the American Museum of Natural History on September 12, 2004, in New York City. AFP

Serena Williams, in a blush pink dress, attends the 'After The Sunset' premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on November 4, 2004 in Hollywood, California. AFP

Serena Williams, in a pink halterneck dress, attends a preview gala dinner for the Metropolitan Museum's Wild: Fashion Untamed exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on December 6, 2004, in New York City. AFP

Serena Williams, in a white floral prom dress, attends the White House Correspondents dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel on April 30, 2005, in Washington, DC. AFP

Serena Williams, in a yellow blouse, arrives at the 'Sky High' premiere at the El Capitan Theatre on July 24, 2005 in Hollywood, California. AFP

Serena Williams, in a belted white shirt, attends the 'ATL' premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on March 30, 2006 in Hollywood, California. AFP

Serena Williams, in a taupe blouse, attends the Sony Ericsson players party at Opium nightclub March 26, 2008 in Miami Beach, Florida. AFP

Serena Williams, in white Calvin Klein, attends the label's spring/summer 2009 show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week on September 11, 2008 in New York City. AFP

Serena Williams, in a leopard print dress, arrives at the players kick-off party at Liv club, Miami on March 25, 2009. AFP

Serena Williams, in a teal Roberto Cavalli gown, arrives at the 2009 ESPY Awards held at Nokia Theatre LA Live on July 15, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Serena Williams, in a red one-shouldered gown, attends the Glamour Magazine 2009 Women of The Year event at Carnegie Hall on November 9, 2009 in New York City. AFP

Serena Williams, in a black dress, attends the 18th Annual Elton John Aids Foundation Academy Award Party at Pacific Design Centre on March 7, 2010 in West Hollywood, California. AFP

Serena Williams, in a nude Burberry dress, arrives at the Burberry Body event on October 26, 2011 in Beverly Hills, California. AFP

Serena Williams, in a pink belted dress, arrives at Nickelodeon's 2011 TeenNick Halo Awards held at the Hollywood Palladium on October 26, 2011 in Hollywood, California. AFP

Serena Williams, in a blue and black dress, attends 'Think Like A Man' premiere in Hollywood, California on February 9, 2012. AFP

Serena Williams, in red trousers with a white top and black cardigan, attends the 13th Annual BNP Paribas Taste of Tennis benefit at the W New York Hotel on August 23, 2012 in New York City. AFP

Serena Williams, in a blue dress, attends the 14th Annual BNP Paribas Taste Of Tennis at W New York Hotel on August 22, 2013 in New York City. AFP

Serena Williams, in a navy blue gown, attends the 11th annual CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund Awards at Spring Studios on November 3, 2014 in New York City. AFP

Serena Williams, in a red Ines Di Santo gown, arrives for the Vanity Fair Oscar After-Party following the 87th annual Academy Awards ceremony in Hollywood, California on February 22, 2015. EPA

Serena Williams, in off-white Galia Lahav, arrives for the Vanity Fair Oscars After-Party following the 88th annual Academy Awards ceremony in Hollywood, California on February 28, 2016. EPA

Serena Williams, in a metallic LaQuan Smith gown, attends the premiere of 'Serena' on June 13, 2016 in New York City. AFP

Serena Williams, in a white two-piece with a pink bralette, attends the Berlei Sports Bras Launch At Macy's With Serena Williams on August 25, 2016 in New York City. AFP

Serena Williams, in a sheer floral gown, attends the Serena Williams Signature Statement Collection By HSN on September 12, 2016, in New York City. AFP

Serena Williams, in a black dress, attends the Charity Gala Dinner for the Novak Djokovic Foundation on September 20, 2016 in Milan. AFP

Serena Williams, in a white jacket with a feathered skirt, attends an Audemars Piguet event on November 29, 2016 in Miami Beach, Florida. AFP

Serena Williams, in an emerald green Versace gown, attends the 2017 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City. AFP

Serena Williams, in a navy lace dress, attends the launch of the Burberry DK88 Bag hosted by Christopher Bailey at Burberry Soho on May 2, 2017 in New York City. AFP

Serena Williams, in a black and gold dress, attends 'Glamour' magazine's 2017 Women of The Year Awards at Kings Theatre on November 13, 2017 in Brooklyn, New York. AFP

Serena Williams, in a white Tom Ford dress with sequinned sleeves, attends the premiere of 'Being Serena' at Time Warner Centre on April 25, 2018 in New York City. AFP

Serena Williams, in a dusky pink Versace dress, and Alexis Ohanian arrive for the royal wedding ceremony of Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, in Windsor on May 19, 2018. EPA

Serena Williams, in a leopard-print dress, attends the 5th Annual Imagine Ball Honouring Serena Williams at The Peppermint Club on September 23, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Serena Williams, in a metallic Vera Wang dress, attends the 2018 Brand Genius Awards at Cipriani 25 Broadway on November 7, 2018 in New York City. AFP

Serena Williams, in jeans and a denim jacket, attends the Teen Vogue Summit at 72andSunny on December 1, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Serena Williams, in a black and red Armani Prive gown, attends the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. AFP

Serena Williams, in a blue and black Giambattista Valli gown, attends the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills on February 24, 2019. AFP

Serena Williams, in a yellow floral Versace gown, attends the 2019 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2019 in New York City. AFP

Serena Williams, in a white top and fawn skirt, attends the Sports Illustrated Fashionable 50 at The Sunset Room on July 18, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Serena Williams, in a white slip dress, attends the Game Changers New York premiere at Regal Battery Park 11 on September 9, 2019 in New York City. AFP

Serena Williams, in an orange dress with a Burberry shawl, attends a charity event at Harriet's Rooftop in West Hollywood on October 3, 2019. AFP

Serena Williams, in a silver one-piece and feathered cape by Gucci, attends the 2021 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on September 13, 2021. AFP

Serena Williams, wearing black Gucci, attends the 10th Annual Lacma Art and Film Gala at Los Angeles County Museum of Art on November 06, 2021. AFP

Serena Williams, in black sportswear, attends Cloud9 Champion's Day on November 9, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Serena Williams, in a black embellished David Koma leotard, attends the premiere of 'King Richard' at TCL Chinese Theatre on November 14, 2021 in Hollywood, California. AFP